Commercial Development Standards
Santa Clara City Code § 18.12.030
in effectA. Table 2-8 Commercial Zone Development Standards. The intent of the commercial zone development standards table establishes the basic site and structure regulations that apply to all developments in each of the commercial zones. The table also indicates where additional site and structure requirements, including, but not limited to, off-street parking, landscaping, signage, fences and obstructions, and performance standards, apply to residential zones.
B. Zoning Map. The Boundaries, designations, and locations of the zones established by this Zoning Code shall be shown upon the map(s) entitled “Zoning Map for City of Santa Clara” and referred to in this Zoning Code.
Table 2-9 Commercial Zone Development Standards
Table 2-9 Commercial Zone Development Standards
Table 2-9 Commercial Zone Development Standards
Development Feature
Additional (minimum unless otherwise Regulations indicated) Off-Street Parking Regulations and Design Standards Performance Standards Sign Standards Solid Waste Enclosures
| Development Feature (minimum unless otherwise indicated) | C-N | C-C | C-R | Additional Regulations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parcel Area (minimum) area required for each NEWLY CREATED parcel. | ||||
| Parcel Area | 7,000 sq. ft | 15,000 sq. ft. | 1 acre | |
| Street Frontage (feet) | 70 | 80 | 100 | |
| Setbacks (minimum) -Property lines are measured in feet, with those adjacent to the street | ||||
| measured from the face of the curb, adopted plan line, or edge of right-of-way. | ||||
| Front | 10 | 10 | 15 | Section 18.30.050 |
| Side, Corner | 10 | 10 | 15 | Section 18.30.050 |
| Side, Interior (adjacent to R1 and R2 zones) | 10 | 10 | 10 | Section 18.12.040(A)(2) Section 18.30.050 |
| Side, Interior (adjacent to all other zones) | 0 | 0 | 0 | Section 18.30.050 |
| Rear, Single-Story (adjacent to R1 and R2 zones) | 10 | 10 | 10 | Section 18.12.040(A)(2) Section 18.30.050 |
| Rear, Multi-Story (adjacent to R1 and R2 zones) | 15 | 20 | 20 | Section 18.12.040(A)(2) Section 18.30.050 |
| Development Feature (minimum unless otherwise indicated) | C-N | C-C | C-R | Additional Regulations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear (adjacent to all other zones) | 10 | 10 | 10 | Section 18.30.050 |
| Height (maximum) measured in feet | ||||
| Height and the Daylight Plane | All structures adjacent to R1 and R2 zones shall include a 45-degree daylight plan off the property line to implement a compatible transition between structures. | |||
| Height | 32 | 50 | 80 | Section 18.30.040 |
| Maximum Number of Stories | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | |
| Additional Regulations | ||||
| Residential Accessory Structures | Chapter 18.32 | |||
| Density Bonus and Affordable Housing | Chapter 18.64 | |||
| Fences, Walls, Hedges, and Screens | Chapter 18.34 | |||
| Landscaping Standards | Chapter 18.36 |
| C-N | C-C | C-R |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 18.38 | ||
| Chapter 18.40 | ||
| Chapter 18.42 | ||
| Section18.30.060 |
Source: City of Santa Clara Zoning Code (santaclaraca.gov PDF)URL: https://www.santaclaraca.gov/our-city/departments-a-f/community-development/planning-division/zoningFetched: 10/24/2026